Neuroplasticity and Addiction

The Science of Neuroplasticity:

The Science of Neuroplasticity has demonstrated the brain's amazing ability to reorganize itself to adapt to an individual's most repetitious and dedicated thought patterns and motivations

It sounds complicated but it's a pretty easy concept to grasp. Through our research we have found that neuroplasticity allows the brain to literally re-start and learn new, natural, habits. Throughout this changing process, it is important to understand the science of change. Change seems simple enough, but for a person in deep depression or with self-destructive personal habits, change can seem impossible.

As a substance user there are probably a variety of habitual behaviors that seem to almost come natural to you, maybe driving home past a bar everyday and stopping for a few drinks, stopping to buy drugs from a friend, or smoking in your car. The brain is a recording device for all of these behaviors which is why the choices to smoke, or stop at a bar become easier to make because you have repeated them day in and day out. The good news is that thought-driven changes in the brain can happen--and relearning how to think differently is possible and is the key to success in our program.

Thus, the Science of Neuroplasticity is:

The science of the brain's natural ability to alter itself

The science of thoughts, emotions, learning and motivation and how you daily activities can affect the brain's structure

Your brain is continuously adapting to external circumstances, making new decisions and accommodating all of life's challenges.

What Neuroplasticity Is Not:

It is not the science of an outside agent such as alcohol physically changing the brain. The science of an outside agent physically changing the brain, organs or cells in the human body is called "toxicology."

Once you are away from alcohol and/or drugs for a period of 3 to 30 days the physical body, including the brain, is once again returned to a normal state. Therefore there is no physical addiction, nor "brain addiction" to substances once the body has been successfully detoxified.

In the Saint Jude Program you will learn new fulfilling and sustainable habits by literally retraining your brain's thought process to replace negative thoughts with positive thinking. By using our Cognitive Educational Methods, which are simply methods that help you map out a plan for self-control, personal choices and responsibility, you will train your brain to replace these negative thought patterns.

By replacing bad with good thoughts you will leave behind and break the cycle of addiction. These relearned thought patterns will help you live a healthier lifestyle, driven by your own motivation and will power. Our program will put the responsibility of your choices back on you, not blame it on a "disease." This will be one of the most important factors to your success in your new life without drugs and alcohol.